Railroad-switch.



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No. 669,695. Patented Mar. I2, mun.

J. J. HERLBAUER &. E. G. TEICHART.

RAILROAD SWITCH.

' (Application filed Oct. 5, 1900) (No Model.)

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JOSEPH J. HERLBAUER AND ERNST Gr. TEICHART, OF BUENAVISTA, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILROAD-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 669,695, dated March 12, 1901..

Application filed October 5, 1900. berial No. 32,169. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that we,JosE1 H J. HERLBAUER and ERNST G. TEIOHART, residents of Buenavista, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Railroad-Switches; and we do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

()ur invention relates to switch-stands and targets therefor; and one object is to provide mechanism for throwing the switch and simultaneously operating the target, in which the operating-lever is easy of access and can be operated without liability of the switch- .man being thrown on the track and in which the switch-point is positively thrown in both directions and locked in either position.

A further object of our invention is to provide a target for railway-switches made in several similar sections, which can be nested for shipment and which are so constructed that they can be readily attached to the target-spindle.

i To enable others skilled in the art to make and use our invention, we will now describe the same more fully, referring to the accompanying drawings, in whioh-- Figure 1 is a vertical section of our improved switch-stand. Fig. 2 is a side view thereof with the bottom broken away. Fig. 3 is a detail showing the target-supporting block. Figs. 4 and 5 are side views of the targetin different positions, and Fig. 6 is a plan View thereof.

The switch-stand 1 is hollow, as shown, to form the chamber 2 and is provided on two opposite sides with feet 3 for securing it to the foundation. Abovethechamber2istheweb i, and above this the stand is continued upward to form a circular chamber 5 for receiving the target-supporting block 6. The latter rests 011 a suitable antifriction device 7 in the bottom of the chamber,whichantifriction device may be a projection on the web 4: or may consist of a loose disk or ball, as desired. The block 6 is provided with a polygonal socket for receiving the polygonal spindle 8 of the target. The block is further provided with an annular groove 9, into which projects the end of a screw 10, tapping through the walls of the chambexysaid screw preventing upward movement of the block but admitting rotary movement thereof. The block is also provided with the spiral groove 11, into which projectsastud 12 on the switch-operating mechanism, hereinafter described.

In the base of the switch-stand is journaled a shaft 13, provided with two cranks 14 and 15. To the crank 14 is secured the connecting-rod 16, which extends upward through the chamber 2 and web and into a recess 17 in the wall of the chamber 5, as shown. To the upper end of the connecting-rod 16 is secured a yoke 18 and the stud 12, before referred to. The yoke 18 is pivoted at 19 to the arms 20 of the bifurcated operating-lever 21, the outer ends of the arms 20 being suitably pivoted, as at 22, to the sides of the switch-stand, so that said lever is free to swing in a vertical plane. To the side of the switch-stand to a suitable lug 23 is pivoted the curved bar 24, having holes 25 therein, said bar passing through an opening in the lever 21 and serving to lock said lever in various positions by having a suitable lockingbolt passed through the holes 25.

To the crank 15 of the shaft 13 is secureda yoke 26, through which slides the switch-operating rod 27, said rod having secured thereupon the yoke 28 and at its end a suitable washer29. Between the yoke 26 and the yoke 28 on one side and the washer 29 on the opposite side are placed stiff spiral springs 30, which form a yielding connection between the yoke 26 and switch-operating rod 27. Also secured to the crank 15 is one end of a spiral spring 31, the upper end of which is connected to a rod 32, which passes through an opening in the side of the switch-stand and through a lug 33 on the outside thereof and is screw-threaded at its upper end to receive an adj usting-nut 34, by means of which the tension of the spring 31 may be adjusted. This spring serves to hold the crank-shaft 31 in either of its positions as the crank 15 passes from one side to the opposite side of the deadcenter of said shaft. On opposite sides of the switch-stand,projecting through the walls thereof, are the screws 35, theinner ends of which lie in proximity to the cranks 14 and 15 and act as stops to limit the movement of said shaft in either direction. The screws 35 form adjustable stops; but it is-obyious that fiXed projections on the stand might be used instead.

The target -spindle 8 is rectangular, as shown, and is seated in the rectangular socket of the block 6, as above stated; but said spindle and socket may be of any irregular .outline in cross-section other than rectangular.

The target consists of two sections 36 and 37, which are similar in all respects, each-section being composed of a suitably-shaped sheetmetal piece, having a flat middle portion 38 and the wings 39 bent atan angle to the middle portion 38 on either side thereof. Each of said sections, furthermore, is provided on one edge with the inwardly-projecting lip 40, which lip is formed by slitting the metal near the edge of the sheet, bending theslitted portion inward. The target-sections are secured to the spindle 8 by placing the flat faces 38 against two opposing flat faces of the spindle 8, with the finger 40 of one member resting on one side of the spindle and the corresponding finger of the other member on the opposite side of the spindle. The two members are then fastened together by means of the bolts 41 on opposite sides of the spindle 8. This construction provides a target wherein the members can be nested for shipment to their destination and can then be easily and securely fastened to the target-spindle.

The operation of our device is as follows: In order to throw the switch and set the signal, the lever 21, if in its lower position, as shown, is raised, thereby raising the yoke 18 and reciprocating the connecting-rod 16, r0- tating the crank-shaft l3, and throwing the switch-points, the yielding connection between the switch-operating rod and the crankshaft 13 allowing for any lack of adjustment that may exist in the mechanism. At the same time the stud 12, secured to the upper end of the connecting-rod 16, moves upward in the spiral groove 11 of the block 6, rotating the latter and setting the signal. As soon as the crank 15 of the shaft 13 passes the dead-center the spring 31, which has re sisted rotation of the shaft up to this point, snaps the crank toits extreme position against the stop 35 and holds the crank-shaft securely in that position. To set the switch in the opposite position, the lever 21 'is depressed, when the reverse operation from that above described will take place.

The lever 21 is at all times in such a position that it is easy of access for the switchman, and as it swings in a vertical plane the switchman is not liable to be thrown on the track, and the connections between said lever and the switch -r0d are such that the switch-point is positively thrown in both directions and is locked by the spring 31 in either position into which it may be thrown.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In arailway-switch stand, the combina tion Witha switch-rod, of the crank-shaft to which said rod is connected journaled in the base of the stand, the operating-lever pivoted to the side of the stand, and a connecting-rod between said lever and the crankshaft for rotating the latter.

2. In a railway-switch stand, the combination with a switch-rod, of the crank-shaft journaled in the base of the stand, the operating-lever pivoted to the side of the stand to swing in a vertical plane, connections be tween said lever and crankshaft for rotating the latter, and yielding connections between the crank-shaft and switch-rod.

3. In arailway-switch stand, the combination with a switch-rod, of the double crankshaft journaled in the base of the stand, the operating-lever pivoted to the side of the stand, connections between said lever and one of the cranks on the shaft for rotating the latter, and connections betweentthe other crank on the shaft and the switch-rod.

4. In a railway-switch stand, the combination with a switch-rod, of a double crankshaft to which said rod is connected journaled in the base of the stand, the operatinglever pivoted-to the stand, connections between said lever and the crank-shaft for rotating the latter, and stops on the stand projecting in opposite directions and so located as to contact with the cranks on said shaft to limit the movement thereof.

5. In a railway-switch stand, the combination with a switch-rod, of the crank-shaft to which said rod is connected journaled in the base of the stand, the operating-lever pivoted to the side of the stand, a connecting-rod between said lever and crank-shaft for rotating the latter, and a spring connected to the crankshaft and to the stand for throwing the crank-shaft past the dead-center in both direetions.

6. In a railway-switch stand, the combination with a switch-rod, of the crank-shaft to which said rod is connected jonrnaled in the IIO base of the stand, the operating-lever pivoted to the side of the stand, a connecting-rod between said lever and crank-shaft for rotat: i ng the latter, a spring connected to the crank of the shaft and to the stand for throwing the crank-shaft past its dead-center in both directions, and stops for limiting the rotation of the crank-shaft in both directions.

7. In a switch-stand, the combination with a switch-rod, of the crank-shaft to which said rod is connected journaled in the base of the stand, the operating-lever pivoted to the side of the stand, the reciprocating rod connected at its lower end to the crank-shaft, and the yoke connecting theoperating-lever with the upper end of the reciprocating rod.

8. In a switch-stand, the combination of the operating-lever pivoted to the stand, a rotary block mounted in the stand, a target supported by said block, said block being provided with a spiral groove, and means connected to the lever and engaging the spiral groove in the block to rotate the latter.

9. ,In a switch-stand, the combination with the operatin g-1ever pivoted to the side of the stand to swing in a vertical plane, the rotary block in the 'top of the stand, said block provided with a spiral groove, a yoke connected to the lever, and a stud connected to the yoke and engaging the spiral groove in the block.

10. In a switch-stand, the combination with a switch-rod, of the crank-shaft to which said rod is connected journaledin the base of the stand, the operating-lever pivoted to the side of the stand, the reciprocating rod connected at its lower end to the crank-shaft, the yoke connecting the operating-lever with the up per end of the reciprocating rod, the rotating block in the upper end of the stand, said block having a spiral groove, and a stud on the reciprocating rod and engaging the spiral groove in the block.

11. In a switch-stand, the combination with a switch-rod, of a crank-shaft'journaled in the base of the stand, yielding connections between said shaft and the switch-rod, an opcrating-lever, and connections between said lever and crank-shaft for rotating the latter.

12. In a switch-stand, the combination with the stand, of the block mounted in the top thereof and rotatable about a vertical axis,

said block having a polygonal socket, and

the target having a polygonal spindle for insertion in the socket in the block.

13. In a switch-target,the combination with a polygonal spindle, of the two-part target, each section comprising a sheet-metal plate having a flat face and ontwardly-bentwings,

the flat faces of the two sections lying on opposite fiat faces of the spindle, and bolts on each side of the rod connecting the two sections.

14. In aswitch-target,the combination with the polygonal spindle, of the two part target, each section comprising a sheet-metal plate having a fiat portion, an outwardly-bent wing on each side of the flat portion, and an inwardly-bent projection, the fiat portions of the two sections lying on opposite flat faces of the spindle, and the inwardly-bent projections resting against opposite sides of the spindle, and bolts on each side of the rod connecting the two sections.

In testimony whereof we, the said JOSEPH J. HERLBAUER and ERNST G. TEICHART, have hereunto set our hands.

JOSEPH J. HERLBAUER. ERNST G. TEICHAR'I. Witnesses:

ROBERT C. TOTTEN, G. C. RAYMOND. 

